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Bad move by Goodell

Published: Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 11:09 a.m.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is a hypocrite.

Someone had to say it, and I guess that I will be the one.

Since taking over as commissioner in 2006, we have heard how Goodell wants to clean up the game and protect the players. He has tried to accomplish that by handing down suspensions and fines for illegal hits.

During the recent offseason, the New Orleans Saints felt Goodell's wrath in his effort to protect players. Goodell handed down severe punishments to Saints coaches and players for their alleged involvement in a bounty system for three seasons.

The end result was suspensions for head coach Sean Payton (entire season), former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (indefinite), general manager Mickey Loomis (eight games), assistant coach Joe Vitt (six games), current players Jonathan Vilma (entire season) and Will Smith (four games) and former players Anthony Hargrove (eight games) and Scott Fujita (three games). The Saints also had to forfeit second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 and was fined $500,000.

Goodell said the severe punishments had to be handed down to protect the players and preserve the integrity of the game.

If Goodell's goal is to protect players, then why is the NFL dragging its feet in working out a new deal with the officials?

Since June, the NFL Referees Association and the league have been at odds over a new labor deal, resulting in a lockout. The two sides are at odds over economic issues, including salary and retirement benefits, and on operational issues.

The NFL also wants to hire seven full-time officials — one per position — who would train, scout, handle communications, safety issues and rules interpretations year-round. It is a proposal the referees association is not opposed to if the full-time officials are fairly compensated.

But in the meantime, the NFL had to find an alternative so the games would not disrupted. The league's answer was using replacement officials, which happened throughout the preseason.

Now, with the regular season starting on Wednesday, it appears that replacement officials will be around a little longer. The NFL plans to use replacement officials during Week 1 and possibly for a few more weeks.

The replacement officials were inconsistent at times, drawing criticism from fans and the media.

Now that replacement officials will be in play during the regular season, some questions are beginning to arise.

Those are only a sample of questions and concerns that fans have regarding the use of replacement officials.

Will the use of replacement officials hurt the integrity of game?

What happens if a replacement official makes a mistake that eventually costs a team a playoff spot?

Will the replacement officials let a game get out of hand resulting in an injury to one of the league's premier players?

Those are only a handful of questions and concerns that fans have regarding the use of replacement officials.

But all of those questions brings me back to Goodell's pledge to clean up the game and protect the players. Using replacement officials does little to help Goodell in that quest.

Throughout the offseason, Goodell has been on a mission to let everyone know that bounties have no place in the NFL, and I behind him 100 percent in that matter. But to do that at the expense of another key issue is completely wrong.

Every Sunday, NFL fans expect to see the best players out on the field, and it would not be fair to put unqualified people officiating the games. Fans pay top dollar to see the best players, coaches and officials at every game.

By using unqualified replacement officials, Goodell is taking steps to hurt the integrity of the game.

The Saints hurt the integrity of the game by using an alleged bounty system for three seasons, and Goodell is doing the same with replacement officials.

Any criticism Goodell gets in regards to the replacement officials is well deserved.

Brent St. Germain is sports editor of The Courier and the Daily Comet. He can be reached at 857-2239 or 448-7600 ext. 2239 or by e-mail at brent.st.germain@houmatoday.com.

<p>NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is a hypocrite.</p><p>Someone had to say it, and I guess that I will be the one.</p><p>Since taking over as commissioner in 2006, we have heard how Goodell wants to clean up the game and protect the players. He has tried to accomplish that by handing down suspensions and fines for illegal hits.</p><p>During the recent offseason, the New Orleans Saints felt Goodell's wrath in his effort to protect players. Goodell handed down severe punishments to Saints coaches and players for their alleged involvement in a bounty system for three seasons.</p><p>The end result was suspensions for head coach Sean Payton (entire season), former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (indefinite), general manager Mickey Loomis (eight games), assistant coach Joe Vitt (six games), current players Jonathan Vilma (entire season) and Will Smith (four games) and former players Anthony Hargrove (eight games) and Scott Fujita (three games). The Saints also had to forfeit second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 and was fined $500,000.</p><p>Goodell said the severe punishments had to be handed down to protect the players and preserve the integrity of the game.</p><p>If Goodell's goal is to protect players, then why is the NFL dragging its feet in working out a new deal with the officials?</p><p>Since June, the NFL Referees Association and the league have been at odds over a new labor deal, resulting in a lockout. The two sides are at odds over economic issues, including salary and retirement benefits, and on operational issues.</p><p>The NFL also wants to hire seven full-time officials — one per position — who would train, scout, handle communications, safety issues and rules interpretations year-round. It is a proposal the referees association is not opposed to if the full-time officials are fairly compensated.</p><p>But in the meantime, the NFL had to find an alternative so the games would not disrupted. The league's answer was using replacement officials, which happened throughout the preseason.</p><p>Now, with the regular season starting on Wednesday, it appears that replacement officials will be around a little longer. The NFL plans to use replacement officials during Week 1 and possibly for a few more weeks.</p><p>The replacement officials were inconsistent at times, drawing criticism from fans and the media.</p><p>Now that replacement officials will be in play during the regular season, some questions are beginning to arise.</p><p>Those are only a sample of questions and concerns that fans have regarding the use of replacement officials. </p><p>Will the use of replacement officials hurt the integrity of game?</p><p>What happens if a replacement official makes a mistake that eventually costs a team a playoff spot?</p><p>Will the replacement officials let a game get out of hand resulting in an injury to one of the league's premier players?</p><p>Those are only a handful of questions and concerns that fans have regarding the use of replacement officials. </p><p>But all of those questions brings me back to Goodell's pledge to clean up the game and protect the players. Using replacement officials does little to help Goodell in that quest.</p><p>Throughout the offseason, Goodell has been on a mission to let everyone know that bounties have no place in the NFL, and I behind him 100 percent in that matter. But to do that at the expense of another key issue is completely wrong.</p><p>Every Sunday, NFL fans expect to see the best players out on the field, and it would not be fair to put unqualified people officiating the games. Fans pay top dollar to see the best players, coaches and officials at every game.</p><p>By using unqualified replacement officials, Goodell is taking steps to hurt the integrity of the game.</p><p>The Saints hurt the integrity of the game by using an alleged bounty system for three seasons, and Goodell is doing the same with replacement officials.</p><p>Any criticism Goodell gets in regards to the replacement officials is well deserved.</p><p>Brent St. Germain is sports editor of The Courier and the Daily Comet. He can be reached at 857-2239 or 448-7600 ext. 2239 or by e-mail at brent.st.germain@houmatoday.com.</p>